Circular knitting machine



Feb. 21, 1950 c w, PERKiNs 2,498,447

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 1, 1948 3 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 Inventor ('bar/es M erk/11 5 Feb. 21, 1950 c. w. PERKINS 2,498,447

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 1, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Invqnlqr (Mar/es 14/. P i

Feb. 21, 1950 c. w. PERKINS 2,498,447

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 1, 1948 s Sheets-Sheet a 9 l I I i Inventor:

Char/es /i er/ma Patented Feb. 21, 1950 UNITED" STATES PATENT. OFFICE CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE CharleaWillin- Perkins, Leicester; England Application October 1, 1948, Serial No. 52,391 In Great Britain September 12, 1947 11 Claims. 1.

This .invention relates to circular cknittingm ae chines,v and is more particularly concerned with machines of the superposed cylinder: type.

Suchv machines are usually providedwith driving mechanism by which the-needle cylinder-can either operate in .a continuous rotary manner or alternatively in a reciprocatory manner. The continuous rotary movement produces the plain tubular work, and the reciprocatory movement enables enlarged pockets, such as the heeluportions of hosiery, to be-formed.

The object of this invention is to provide improved means for changing overfro-m rotary to reciprocatory movement.

Referring to the drawings which-form a part of this specification:

Figures 1 and 2 are sectional elevations on the line II of Figure 3 showing two alternative positions of the mechanism.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation in a .plane at right angles to Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a plan.

A shaft Iii has a clutch mechanism comprising a central slidable body memberil I with male dogs I2, I2 at each end and two female partsr I3; 13

with either of which the body member I I can engage by virtue of sliding movement. The body member II is slidable axially on splines on the shaft Ill and rotates therewith. The shaft I may be the main center shaft of the knitting machine or (preferably) another shaft geared with the main shaft. The shaft I0 is provided with a bevel gear (not shown) which, in turn, meshes with a bevel gear on the cylinder (not shown).

In one position of the mechanism, as shown in Figure l, the sliding body member II is coupled to the female part I3 and a gear wheel I4. This gear wheel is the driving element from which rotary movement of the needle cylinder is produced. In the other position of the mechanism, as shown in Figure 2, the sliding body member I l is coupled to the female part I? and a pinion I 5. The pinion I5 is driven by the quadrant which is the driving element from which reciprocatory motion of the needle cylinder is produced. The gear wheel I4 is freely rotatable on the shaft Ill but is fixed against axial movement on the shaft by means of a sleeve-like element MA carried by the shaft I0. The pinion I5 is similarly mounted on the shaft I0, although the sleeve-like element is not illustrated in the drawings.

Around the body member I I a cam mechanism is fitted. This is shown as a ring cam consisting of two separately adjustable profile members I6, I5 One end of a rocking lever I'I engages with the cam, forinstance'the end of'the lever I! may carry a roller I8 or-fixed member which rides'on the: cam-profiles. There is a gap'IB in thecam profiles I6, I6. When the lever I'I'is rocked the end of the lever can pass through this gap I9, so that thelever will then: be engaged by the opposite cam-:profi-le; The lever-is Shaped somewhat like a bell-crank- The opposite end I'I of the lever extends into a gap between apair of set screws 21, by'which the amount of rocking movement imparted to the lever in either direction canbe adjusted as required. The rockingmovement of thelever I1 is derived from a cam- 22 carried by the pattern drum PD of the knitting machine. The cam -22 acts on a roller 23 carried by a plate II freely mounted on the'same axis as the lever II. pre-loads or conditions the lever against thecaction' of a'spring' 25 anchored to the members I.'I; I'I The'rol'ler. I-B'is thus caused to bear against the cam-profile I-Iiauntil the-gap I9 comes round: The. roller. I8 then passes through. the gap, as thewleven-I'I rocks about its pivot.24, and presently the roller bears against the slope or rise 0f.the=-0ther camprofile I6. Since the profiles are fixedto the: body II and since the'lever- II isheld in position, the result is that the clutch body is moved slidably. When the roller 23 comes off the cam 22 the spring 26 anchored to the lever I! and to the frame becomes operative, so that the lever I'I will move back through the gap IS in the cam profiles I6, I6 and engage with the opposite profile. Presently the slope or peak on this face becomes operative and the cam profiles and clutch body I I are thereupon moved slidably in the reverse direction. The movement of the plate I'I under the action of the spring 25 is limited by a peg or stop 21.

I claim:

1. A mechanism for a circular knitting machine of the cylinder type including a clutch member mounted for sliding movement, said clutch member being adapted in one position to actuate means by which continuous rotary movement of the needle cylinder is effected, and in the other position to actuate means by which reciprocatory movement of the needle cylinder is effected, cam means carried by the clutch member, a lever operatively associated with the cam means, and means for conditioning the lever, said lever in conjunction with said cam means being adapted to impart sliding movement to the clutch memher.

2. A mechanism for a circular knitting machine of the cylinder type comprising a cam associated with the pattern drum of the knitting machine, a lever operatively associated with said cam, a sliding clutch member, said clutch member being adapted by its sliding movement to change the needle cylinder from rotary to reciprocatory movement or the reverse, cam means carried by the clutch member, and spring means associated with the lever, said spring means serving to urge said lever against said cam means on the clutch member.

3. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 having in addition the feature that the lever is preloaded by spring means associated therewith.

4. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 in which the cam means on the clutch member comprises two separate profiles with each of which the lever engages in turn.

5. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 in which the cam means on the clutch member comprises two separately adjustable profiles with each of which the lever engages in turn.

6. 'A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 in which the cam means on the clutch member comprises two profiles with a gap between them, said lever being adapted to move through the gap when it is actuated.

7. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 having in addition the feature that a part of the lever extends into a clearance between a pair of abutments, the abutments being adjustable to alter the clearance, so that by altering the setting of the abutments the limit of movement of the lever in either direction is adjusted.

8. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 in which the lever is actuated by a cam carried by the pattern drum of the knitting machine, said cam engagingwith one end region of the lever, while the other end region of the lever carries a roller which rides on the cam means on the clutch member.

9. A mechanism for a circular knitting machine of the cylinder type including a clutch member having male parts at each end, two female parts with either of which the clutch member can engage, One associated with means for effecting continuous rotary movement of the needle cylinder'of the machine and the other with means for efiecting reciprocatory movement of said needle cylinder, two cam profiles on said clutch member, a lever engaging with said profiles, there being a gap through which said lever can move from one cam profile to the other, and means associated with the pattern drum of the knitting machine for conditioning said lever, whereby said lever in conjunction with the cam profiles acts to move the clutch member slidably from engagement with one female part to the other.

10. A mechanism for a circular knitting machine of the cylinder type comprising a cam associated with the pattern drum of the machine, a pivoted lever and a plate freely mounted on the same axis, a spring connected between the lever and the plate, the action of the cam serving to spring-load the lever, two cam profiles engaged by said lever, a sliding clutch member associated with the cam profiles, a gap through which the lever can move from engagement with one cam profile to engagement with the other, another spring connected to the lever, said further spring becoming active on said lever when the cam on the pattern drum ceases to be efiecti-Ve, whereby the lever is oppositely spring-loaded, the lever in conjunction with the cam profiles serving to move the clutch member slidably, said clutch member being adapted in one position to be associated with means for effecting continuous rotary movement of the needle cylinder and in the other position to be associated with means for efiecting reciprocatory movement of the needle cylinder.

11. A mechanism as claimed in claim 10 in which adjustable means are provided for limiting the amount of movement imparted to the lever in either direction.

CHARLES WILLIN PERKINS.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Miller Feb. 8, 1927 Number 

